Trim drain cover



Nov. 11, 1958 4.1. wlLKlE TRIM DRAIN COVER Filed Nov. 14. 1955 -riff ikUnited States Patent TRIM DRAlN COVER .lames Wilkie, Redford Township,Wayne County, Mich. Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,513

' s claims. (ci. 21o- 163) This invention relates to a oor drainstructure and refers more particularly to a trim drain cover.

The trim drain cover is intended to be applied over the usual perforateddrain cap in a floor. When a floor is covered with floor tile, it isnecessary to trim the tile around the drain cap. It is extremelydifficult to trim the tile evenly and neatly around the drain cap, andhence, even when the tiling is done by experienced personnel, the tilearound the drain is apt to have a rough or ragged appearance. Moreover,the abrupt edge of the tile around the drain provides a weak spo-tbecause the tile may be pulled away from the floor at this point if suchedge is accidentally struck with an article of furniture being movedacross the floor, for example, or by the heel of a shoe.

One object of this invention is to provide a trim drain cover to beapplied over the usual drain cap which will overlie the edge of the tilesurrounding the drain cap and provide a pleasing appearance. l

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a trim cover applied over the drain capin a floor structure, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral designates aconcrete iioor. The floor has a cylindrical drain pipe 12 therein whichhas at its upper end a radially outwardly enlarged portion 14 whichterminates at its upper end in a top surface 16 substantially flush withthe top surface 18 of the oor 10. The enlargement 14 has an internalannular groove 20 in its top surface. The top surface 22 of the grooveis parallel to the top surface 16 of the enlargement and is adapted tosupport the marginal edge portion of the floor metal drain cap 24. Thedrain cap 24 has openings 26 therethrough for the passage of uid and issecured to the enlargement 14 of the drain pipe by screws 28. The topsurface of the drain cap is substantially flush with the surface 18 ofthe oor.

The floor tile elements 30 are applied over the surface of the floor inedge to edge relation and may be formed of asphalt or any suitablematerial. Ordinarily, a mastic or suitable tile cement is provided in athin iilm (not shown) between the surface of the floor and the undersideof the tile to secure the tile in place. The tile is cut to provide acircular opening 32 which closely surrounds the drain cap. As apractical matter, it is very difficult to cut the opening 32 neatly andalmost invariably the opening will be somewhat ragged.

In order to provide a pleasing appearance, the trim drain cover 34 isprovided. This cover may be formed of a relatively thin plate ofiiexible material such as aluminum. Any suitable material may beemployed in ICC the manufacture of the cover 34. However, such materialsselected should be pleasing in appearance and have a degree ofexibilityl The cover 34 is formed from a circular plate of material. Theplate comprises a flat central circular portion 35 formed withperforations 36. The central portion 35 is applied over the drain cap 24in surface to surface contact therewith and the perforations 36 aregenerally aligned with the openings 26 in the drain cap. The plate hasan intermediate annular inverted frustoconical portion 38 integrallyconnecting into the outer margin of the central portion and having itsouter margin disposed sufficiently above and beyond the central portionto substantially overlie the edge of the tile defining the opening 32 inthe tile. The plate also has an outer annular frusto-conical portion 40integrally connecting into the outer margin of the intermediate portionand has its outer marginal portion embedded in the surrounding floortile.

The annular space between the intermediate portion 35 of the cover andthe drain cap 24 is filled by the mastic or tile cement as indicated at42.

The trim drain cover may be supplied commercially to the home owner orto the oor tile installer in a condition in which it has substantiallythe cross section shown in Figure 2.

The mastic 42 is then applied to the drain cover in a mannersubstantially as illustrated. The drain cover is applied over the draincap 24 with the central portion 35 in surface to surface contactingrelation with the drain cover as illustrated. The outer annular portion42 is then pressed downwardly to embed the same into the surroundingportions of the tile as shown. Thus, the mastic fills the entireannularV space between the tile, cover 24 and cover 34. Preferably, thetile is heated with a torch or otherwise around the opening 32 so thatthe outer portion of the cover may be forced into the material of thetile without undue effort.

The drain cap 24, which is usually of cast iron, is retained in theassembly since 'it serves as a support for the light gage aluminum cover34.

It is, of course, possible to secure the trim drain cover 34 in placeover the drain cap 24 by means other than the mastic or tile cementspecified above. Thus, the trim drain cover could be held in place bybolts extending through it and also through the cast iron cover 24 intothe existing tapped holes in the drain pipe. Alternatively, expansion orMolly type bolts may be provided extending through the fluid passages inthe trim cover and the cast iron cover to hold the trim cover in place,or spring clips could be used in place of the expansion bolts. Each ofthese three methods could be used if the trim cover were designed tosuit one specic type of cast iron cover.

However, each of these three methods has its limitations siuce there aremany variations in the cast iron covers now in use. Some have one holeand some two for receiving the securing bolts and others have no holesat all, being secured in place by other means. Furthermore, the fluidpassages are of varying shapes and arrangements. Mastic or tile cementis believed to be the most satisfactory way of attaching the trim draincover. First of all, it is universal in its application, that is, it canbe applied to any design of cast iron cover. Secondly, the masticcreates a seal at the edge of the tile to prevent water seepage underthe tile. Thirdly, the mastic compensates for minor unevenness in-theoor and creates a rm seat for the trim cover.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In combination, a oor having a drain opening, a perforated drain capcovering said opening with the top surface of said drain capsubstantially ush with the top surface of said floor, a layer of oortile laid over the top surface of said oor and cut to provide an openingclosely surrounding said drain cap, a trim drain cover comprising arelatively thin plate having a Hat central portion formed withperforations, said central portion overlying said drain cap insurface-to-surface contact with the top surface of said drain cap andwith the perforations in said central portion registering with theperforations in said drain cap, said central portion being completelysurrounded by the opening in said oor tile, said plate having an annularportion surrounding and integrally connecting into the margin of saidcentral portion, said annular portion being of downwardly openingconcavo-convex configuration and extending over the edge of the floortile deiining the opening therein and having its outer edge embedded insaid floor tile with the top surface of said annular portion at itsouter edge substantially flush with the top surface of said floor tile.

2. In combination, a lloor having a drain opening, a perforated draincap covering said opening with the top surface of said drain capsubstantially ush with the top surface of said floor, a layer of floorItile laid over the top surface of said floor and cut to provide anopening closely surrounding said drain cap, a trim drain covercomprising a relatively thin plate having a flat central portion formedwith perforations, said central portion overlying said drain cap insurface-to-surface contact with the top surface of said drain cap andwith the perforations in said central portion registering with theperforations in said drain cap, said central portion being completelysurrounded by the opening in said oor tile, said plate having anintermediate annular inverted frusto-conical portion integrallyconnecting into the outer margin of said central portion and having itsouter margin disposed sufficiently above and beyond said central portionto substantially overlie the edge of the tile defining the openingtherein, and an outer annular frustoconical portion integrallyconnecting into the outer margin of said intermediate portion and havingits outer edge embedded in said oor tile with the top surface of saidouter annular portion at its outer edge substantially ush with the topsurface of said oor tile.

3. In combination, a Hoor having a drain opening, a flat circularperforated drain cap covering said opening with the top surface of saiddrain cap substantially ilush with the top surface of said floor, alayer of floor tile laid over the top surface of said floor and cut toprovide a circular opening closely surrounding said drain cap, a trimdrain cover comprising a relatively thin plate having a at centralcircular portion formed with perforations, said central portionoverlying said drain cap in surface-to-surface contact with the topsurface of said drain cap and with the perforations in said centralportion registering with the perforations in said drain cap, saidcentral portion being of smaller diameter than said drain cap andcentrally disposed relative thereto, said plate having an intermediateannular inverted frustoconical portion integrally connecting into theouter margin of said central portion and extending laterally outwardlyand upwardly from said central portion in spaced relation to said draincap, the outer margin of said intermediate portion being disposedsuciently above and beyond said central portion to overlie the edge ofthe tile defining the opening therein, said plate having an outerannular frusto-conical portion integrally connecting into the outermargin of said intermediate portion and having its outer edge embeddedin said floor tile with the top surface of said outer annular portion atits outer edge substantially flush with the top surface of said floortile, and a sealing compound completely lling the annular space betweensaid intermediate portion, said drain cap and the edge of said oor tiledefining the opening therein to prevent water seepage under said oortile.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 926,417Horner June 29, 1909 1,380,793 Goldman June 7, 1921 1,504,428 Byers Aug.l2, 1924 1,837,755 Carlisle Dec. 22, 1931 1,877,085 Trefry Sept. 13,1932 2,718,826 Lambert Sept. 27, 1955

